1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to azepine derivatives as 5-HT7 receptor modulators, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, methods for preparing these compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions including these compounds as active ingredients.
2. Description of the Related Art
Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter on 14 different serotonin receptors that are widely distributed throughout the organs of the body and is responsible for various physiological phenomena. Serotonin receptors cause various physiological responses through interactions with serotonin. Among them, 5-HT7 receptors, the most recently identified serotonin subtype receptors, are widely distributed, particularly in the hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus, and cortex and are known to play an important role in body temperature regulation, biorhythm regulation, learning, memory, sleep, and hippocampal neurotransmission. 5-HT7 receptors are also known to be involved in diseases such as depression, migraine and anxiety and neurological disorders such as inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain.
Many efforts have been made to develop 5-HT7 receptor antagonists and agonists but only a few selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonists are currently known. For example, WO97/29097, WO03/048118, WO97/48648, WO97/48681, and WO97/49695 reported antagonists having a sulfonamide moiety as a basic skeleton. Further, WO99/24022 and WO00/00472 reported tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives acting on 5-HT7 receptors.
Despite the considerable research efforts, there is still a need to find 5-HT7 receptor modulators that are selective for 5-HT7 receptors, have good pharmacokinetic profiles, and are effective against diseases associated with body temperature regulation, biorhythms regulation, sleep, and smooth muscles as well as the above-described diseases.